Timothy Cooper, a human rights activist and resident of
Washington DC, spoke to the February 10 meeting of the Congressional
Representation Committee about his work to draw international
attention to the violation of the human rights of citizens of the
District of Columbia in their lack of voting rights which are enjoyed
by all other U.S. citizens. Our meeting took place the evening before
a press conference at the National Press Club, where the Mayor joined
Cooper and others to announce a ruling issued recently by the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights - a ruling which brings the
moral authority of a major international organization to bear on the
denial of representation in Congress to citizens of this nation's
capital. For more about Cooper's work, see committee report.

I know a number of you along with other citizens around
the country are concerned about the reliability and validity of our
voting systems, especially about the need for a voter-verified paper
trail, and much has been written. For an evenhanded League view,
please be sure to read the article
that conveys the
statement of the LWVUS Board, adopted at its January meeting.

An article about inclusionary housing
reaffirms a long held position of the D.C. League which supports
"economically, culturally, and racially diverse communities... in
all areas of the city". Please read this article, a timely one as
the issues of housing receive attention in connection with the 2005
budget.

On a lighter note, merry voices filled the room at Iona
House on February 12, as our members played games (Bridge, Scrabble,
the Patriot Game, more). Thanks to Elaine Melmed, Mary Rodgers, Hope
Marindin Joan Domike, Barbara Yeomans for their contributions of food.
Special thanks to Liz Martin for her leadership in organizing this
event, which produced around $900 as well as a lot of fun for the
League and to Joan & Art Domike for providing the Patriot Game
designed by their daughter.  Frances Gem mill, President

On February 10, at a meeting of the Congressional
Representation Committee of LWVDC, Tim Cooper, a human rights activist
and resident of Washington, D.C., described his persistent efforts to
draw international attention to the violation of the human rights of
citizens of the District in the refusal of the United States to allow
them to elect voting representatives to Congress, a right exercised by
United States citizens everywhere else in this country. Our committee
meeting, attended by nine members, was timely, coming on the eve of a
press conference arranged at the National Press Club with city
officials and Cooper, representing his organization "Worldright"
to announce a ruling issued on December 29, 2003 by the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights, an agency of the Organization of American
States. The ruling said, "No other federal state in the Western
Hemisphere denies the residents of its federal capital the right to
vote for representatives in their national legislature." The
ruling brings the moral authority of a major international
organization -one the United States belongs to and helps finance - to
bear on the denial of representation in Congress to citizens of this
nation's capital.

In his comments to the Committee, Cooper encouraged us
to continue our efforts for voting rights and self-government. He said
we should work for complete equality, and not accept less than the
full rights that are available for U.S. citizens elsewhere; that is,
he supports the goal of Statehood, which would provide for two
Senators and representatives according to our population.

At the press conference the following day, which was
aired on local stations and included Mayor Williams, it was reported
that Cooper said "This decision (by the Commission) represents
America's Achilles' heel," "It strips the king of democracy
of his robe."  Frances Gemmill

Some thirty-three members attended the January Unit
Meetings to discuss National Program Planning. This was the first step
in a process that ends this June at Convention 2004, when delegates
from across the nation will meet here in DC to elect new officers,
approve a budget for LWVUS, and adopt National program for the next
two years. Our members wanted to retain all current National League
positions except the position on East-West Trade, which, with its
reference to USSR, has been overtaken by events.

Since we are still Studying the position on Election of
the President, our recommendation there will await the results of Unit
meetings scheduled for February 17-19, too late for inclusion in this
VOTER. Members proposed that we review and update the League position
on Apportionment. Our first choice for a new study was Immigration,
"a major problem that should be addressed in an even-handed,
League-like way."  Sheila Keeny (966-1692), 3rd Vice President - National Program

International Women's Day Luncheon will be held on
Monday, March 8, 2004, from 12:30-2 p.m. at the Mayflower Hotel. The
program is "The Role of Women in the Emerging Government and
Society of Iraq." Nasreen Sadeek Barwari, Iraq Minister of Public
Works is among the confirmed speakers.

If you are interested in attending, RSVP to
202-454-2101, or events@unicwash.org.
Tickets are $35 each if reservations received by March 5. At door,
price will be $40. Space is limited.

March Units will look at Juvenile Justice issues in the
District, perhaps from a new angle. Unit members will have an
opportunity to use a sample case history to identify obstacles and
remedies for the city's troubled youth.

The press has often described the system as broken, and
every day the city accumulates fines for failure to comply with court
orders for reforms. A Blue Ribbon Commission appointed by the Mayor in
2001 has submitted detailed recommendations for correcting
deficiencies. However, little change has been implemented - the system
continues to deteriorate.

Come to a Unit meeting and get the feel of what a court
judge experiences when seeking to balance public safety and
rehabilitation of errant youth.  Joan Wilson (237-6264), Chair.

The next IR Committee meeting will be on Sunday, March 21st from 2-4 pm, at Sheila Keeny's house. The topic for discussion
will be Turkey. Sheila's address is 3600 Albemarle St. NW, and her
telephone is 966-1692.

Our IR discussions have been very interesting and
lively this year. If you haven't been to an IR meeting with our
"salon" format, you might want to give us a try!  Susan Rao (636-1688) and Anne Porowski (364-0557),
Co-chairs

On March 24, 2004, a luncheon will be held at 12 noon
at the Women's National Democratic Club with the question "Is
America Ready to Run a Fair Election?" Cheliie Pingee, President
of Common Cause, and former Senator from Maine, will speak.

For reservations call 202-232-7363. Accessible via
Metro: Red Line to Dupont Circle station and exit on 19th & Q Sts.
NW. Walk East on Q about 2 blocks.

LWVUS Board of Directors Issues Statement

Following its January 2004 meeting, the LWVUS Board
forwarded the following summary of its current thoughts on electronic
voting machines, suggesting that State and local Leagues include the
statement below in their VOTERS:

The League of Women Voters strongly supports full and
equal voting rights for all eligible Americans, including persons with
disabilities. The League also supports voter verification of ballots,
including the requirement in the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) whereby
the voter verifies the ballot before it is cast and counted. However,
the League does not support proposals for a new requirement for paper-based voter verification
--
the voter-verified paper trail (WPT) system that would require Direct
Recording Electronic (DRE) machines to provide an individual paper
confirmation for each ballot for each voter to verify.

The voter-verified paper trail requirement undermines
voting access. DREs make it possible, for the first time, for persons
with visual disabilities or limited manual dexterity to cast secret
and independent ballots. Because DREs can be programmed in multiple
languages, voters with limited English proficiency can participate
fully and equally. The millions of Americans who face literacy
challenges also can take advantages of the audio features of DREs to
cast independent votes without embarrassment. The WPT system requires
the voter to verify the written paper ballot, which historically
disenfranchised voters will find difficult to do if they cannot see or
if they have difficulty reading the paper verification. The WPT
requirement is costly and will also slow down the replacement of
outdated voting machines or push election administrators toward
optical scan ballots, which are less accessible to the types of historically
disenfranchised voters described above.

The voter-verified paper trail system doesn't work. It does not guarantee a solution to the security
concerns it is intended to fix. If an electronic voting machine can be
programmed to record an incorrect vote, it can be programmed to print out a misleading confirmation. WPT
advocates say the paper
confirmations can be counted, but paper ballots are
notoriously difficult to count accurately. And there is a long history of lost, mangled, and manipulated paper
ballots. The real solution to security concerns is to institute the
measures described below.

Management and operational procedures can be put in
place now to protect voting machine security. Among these are:
physical isolation of each machine to protect against "hacking";
maintaining election official control over ballot creation, source
codes, and management systems; statewide security programs binding on
jurisdictions; improved equipment management practice and polling
place operations; testing prior to and after Election Day; and
parallel monitoring during Election Day.

A WPT unnecessarily complicates Election Day processes
for voters, poll workers, and election administrators. Printers jam,
need paper, and are slow. With long lines already a problem of polling
places, printing individual ballots and requiring a confirmation
process for each voter will only exacerbate problems, confuse voters,
and undermine voter privacy.

Federal standards already require that new voting
machines, including DREs, provide paper records for recounts and
authentication of elections.

The WPT requirement undermines the certification and
standards process that protects voters and state and local
governments. WPT systems are not certified. Mandating their use
without a thorough certification process weakens the reliability of
voting systems.  LWVUS Board of Directors

"The League also supports voter verification of
ballots, including the requirement in the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
whereby the voter verifies the ballot before it is cast and counted.
However, the League does not support proposals for a new requirement
for paper-based voter verification -- the voter-verified paper trail
(WPT) system that would require Direct Recording Electronic (DRE)
machines to provide an individual paper confirmation for each ballot
for each voter to verify."

Inclusionary zoning could make it possible for the
District of Columbia to put much needed private dollars to work on
building affordable housing. In spite of the District's progress in
building low-and-moderate-income housing in the past few years, our
city still has a deficit of affordable housing, especially for
low-income working families. More than 24% of homeowners and 35% of
renters are paying more than they can afford for housing. Indeed, some
households pay as much as 50% of their monthly income on shelter.
Where families live can be just as important as how much they pay.
Residents in neighborhoods with high concentrations of poverty
typically are cut off from jobs, good schools, and health services.
They are also more likely to be victims of crime.

Building and renovating housing is expensive, and up
until now, most low-income housing in DC has been financed by the
public sector. But the public sector has not been able to keep up with the need, and
the gap between the need and the supply of affordable housing
continues to grow. For over 25 years, communities across the country,
including neighboring Montgomery County, have been using
inclusionary zoning (IZ) to build thousands of units of affordable
housing with private dollars. IZ requires private developers to make a
percentage of housing units in new residential developments affordable
to low and moderate-income families. The developers. still make a
profit, because in return, county and city governments give them such
benefits as the right to build developments with higher densities.

For over 25 years, communities across the country,
including neighboring Montgomery County, have been using inclusionary
zoning (IZ) to build thousands of units of affordable housing with
private dollars.

Inclusionary zoning could benefit the District by:

Producing affordable housing for its low-and moderate-income working families and by
requiring that 15% of every development of ten or more units be affordable to
households earning $25,000 to $68,000;

Creating mixed-income communities city wide, which is very important in a city
experiencing increased concentrations of poverty;

Connecting residents of modest incomes to valuable housing opportunities; and

Establishing firm and fair policies through which the private market can contribute
affordable housing.

ACORN, DC's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, is heading up a
campaign to get an inclusionary zoning policy for Washington. We hope the League will
join ACORN, WISH (Washington Inter-city Self Help), the DC Agenda, the Washington Regional Network,
unions, and other organizations by re-affirming the principles of inclusionary zoning, and joining with
these partners to persuade the Mayor and Council to develop a mandatory IZ policy.
? Janet W. Brown, Affordable Housing Cmte. with Pocohontas Outlaw, Chair, DC ACORN

See the Capitol Steps Musical Political Satire for Free!

Be a LWVUS National Convention Volunteer
June 11-15, 2004
and you will have a ticket to the performance on Sunday, June 13th, 7:30 pm
in the Ballroom of the Hilton Washington Hotel
See the insert for further details.

As in previous years when the LWVUS Convention is held
in DC, League members have opened their homes to out of state Leaguers
as a Bed & Breakfast alternative to the hotel. The DC Leaguer
provides a bedroom, access to a bathroom, and a light breakfast
(coffee, tea, muffin). In turn, the League charges a daily rate that
is split with the homeowner. The League uses this as a fundraiser and
compensates the homeowner for the use of their home. If you have a
spare bedroom and would like to participate, call Chris Matthews at
269-3890.

The Washington Metropolitan Transit Administration
(METRO) plans to schedule hearings on rail and bus fare increases in
the near future, to meet a projected budget shortfall in fiscal year
2005. Numerous cost cutting measures are being considered to expected
income levels. Our transportation committee has been attending METRO
board and committee meetings Wednesdays at 9:00 am.

Detailed discussions on the possible effect on ridership of various alternative
fare and service changes. The recent fare increases have not affected
ridership as much as had been projected, and ridership is now being promoted
through a new program to post improved fare, schedule, and route
information at street bus shelters and stops. An attempt to increase
revenue by expanding advertising in stations, on buses, and in rail
cars has been approved on an experimental basis, without public
hearings or input.

Additional revenues might come from expanded "Metrocheck",
now used by 150,000 commuters in the region. A bill has been
introduced in the House of Representatives that would increase the
subsidy available from the Federal government for transit from $100 a
month to $175 ($190) per month available for commuter automobile
parking.

Budget overruns are arising from unanticipated costs in
pension and health care allowances. For the current fiscal year, total
expenditures are close to the budgeted levels, even though pensions
and health care costs are substantially over budget.

Among several cost savings proposals left for future
decision is one to expend for operations the interest on a large joint
development project fund that is being held for future project use. The
use of this accrued interest for current operations does not
represent a settled policy, and David A. Catania of the District of
Columbia received Board support in requesting further consideration of
the policy implications of the proposal, prior to Board action.

While it is debating its options for meeting operating costs, METRO is
also seeking support for a six-year capital improvement program to allow for increased ridership by the
purchase of 120 rail cars and 185 buses, and to prevent further delay in essential system infrastructure
maintenance.

The D.C. League testified before the DC Council Committee on Public Services on February
9 in support of this effort. METRO and the DC government and business
community are united in hoping to secure important Federal funds for
this program.

We need to involve additional League members in the
effort to monitor the meetings of the boards and committees of METRO
and the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) of the Council of
Governments. The TPB usually meets on the third Wednesday of each
month at its North Capitol Street offices, near Union Station. METRO
meetings are usually weekly at the headquarters at 5th and F Sts. NW,
half a block from the Judiciary Square Metro station. Contact Grace
Malakoff at lwvp@aol.com, or
387-7540 and Pat Hallman at ephallman@starpower.net
or 829-8852 for
more information.

Transit schedules and routes are available at most
Metro Station Kiosks or on line at http://rideguide.wmata.com,
which
will also help you plot your trip via bus, metro rail or both.  Grace Malakoff (387-7540) and
Pat Hallman (829-8852)

"We need to involve additional League members in
the effort to monitor the meetings of the boards and committees of
METRO and the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) of the Council of
Governments." Contact Grace Malakoff or Pat Hallman for more
information.

A first for the Federal Transportation Research Board (TRB)
this year was the FEET FIRST gathering of bike and pedestrian
transportation leaders from around the country. They assembled as a
part of the annual TRB meeting, which is also breaking new ground by
having at least one woman as a Board member - the member in charge of
this program.

On February 11, the National Building Museum sponsored
a "Ray Buden Showcasing of Projects" bringing new pedestrian
and biking amenities to locations around the world, including Waikiki
Beach.  Grace Malakoff

March Units will look at Juvenile Justice issues in the
District, perhaps from a new angle. Unit members will have an
opportunity to use a sample case history to identify obstacles and
remedies for the city's troubled youth. See article on p.3 Children
At Risk.

The Unit Council will meet Monday, March 8th at 12 noon
in the LWVDC office, 733 15th St., NW  Joan Domike (966-3865)

We are sad to call your attention to the report in The
Washington Post on February 1 of the death of Anne Weinberg on January
29. Anne was an active League member from the Southwest Unit, and she
chaired the Southwest Unit in 1978-79. We remember her presence among
us, and will continue to work for the better government she valued. We
extend our sympathy to her family.  Frances Gemmill

Has your League Membership expired? Please check the
address label on the back page of this issue. If the membership date
above your name has passed, print out the renewal form and
mail with your check (made payable to LWVDC) to LWVDC, 733 15th St.,
NW, Suite 432, Washington, DC 20005-6020.